Furry Diary

Pallid Gerbil

Gerbillus perpallidus

Also called Pale gerbil, Pallid

SpeciesShort profile

From Endemic to Egypt, found mainly in the north-west of the country.1

At a glance the quick version

Sizetiny
Pretty pale orange colouring
Suited to keepers with gerbil experience
Adapted to sandy desert life
1

Coat and looks how to spot one

Short pale coat; furred soles

A slender sand-coloured gerbil about 22-27 cm long from nose to tail tip. The fur on top is a soft pale orange, while the belly, front legs and feet are white, the ears are unpigmented, and the soles of the feet are furry like those of other sand-living gerbils.1

ColoursPale orange aboveWhite belly, forelimbs and feet1

Home where they are happiest

A sand-dwelling desert species from Egypt; its furred soles reflect life on loose sand.1

The story where it all began

The pallid gerbil is a wild species from north-western Egypt. Hobbyists, who usually just call it 'pallid', regard it as a good next step for people who have already kept Mongolian gerbils.1

Fun facts for the dinner table

  1. 1

    Enthusiasts usually shorten its name to simply 'pallid'.1

  2. 2

    The soles of its feet are covered in hair, a typical trait of gerbils that live on sand.1

  3. 3

    Its ears have no pigment, which suits its pale overall look.1

  4. 4

    In the wild it is found only in Egypt.1

Recognised by the official bits

National Gerbil Society (UK)
Gerbillus species are shown in the NGS Gerbillus classes (52 and 53).2
IUCN Red List
Listed as Least Concern.1

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Pallid Gerbil. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

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Where this comes from

Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.

  1. Pale gerbil - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, weight, length, coat, feet, pet-keeping note, IUCN status, fun facts
  2. National Gerbil Society - Standard show schedule gerbils.co.ukused for recognition (Gerbillus show classes)

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.